A method to screen T lymphocyte epitopes after oral immunisation of humans: application to cholera toxin B subunit

• Published in: Vaccine Vol. 13; no. 9; pp. 817 - 820
• Main Authors: Castello-Branco, Luiz R.R., Griffin, George E., Dougan, Gordon, Lewis, David J.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.06.1995; Elsevier
• Subjects: Administration, Oral; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Division - immunology; cholera; Cholera - immunology; Cholera - therapy; Cholera Toxin - administration & dosage; Cholera Toxin - immunology; Cholera Toxin - therapeutic use; epitope; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Immunodominant Epitopes - immunology; Microbiology; peptide; T lymphocyte; T-Lymphocytes - cytology; T-Lymphocytes - immunology; vaccine; Vaccines, antisera, therapeutical immunoglobulins and monoclonal antibodies; peptide; vaccine; T lymphocyte; epitope; cholera; Human; Immunization; Antigenic determinant; Vibrio cholerae; Oral administration; Subunit; Infection; Toxin; Antigenicity; T-Lymphocyte; Bacteriosis; Bacteria; Vibrionaceae; Cholera; Recognition
• ISSN: 0264-410X; 1873-2518
• DOI: 10.1016/0264-410X(94)00036-M

The response to oral immunisation of humans with classical biotype cholera toxin B subunit was studied to identify immunodominant T lymphocyte determinants. The in vitro proliferative response to pools of 12-mer peptides and larger peptides used individually was analysed by a novel statistical approach, and identified an immunodominant region in residues 70–79 in immunised subjects, when either pools or individual peptides were employed. In contrast, a patient infected with El Tor biotype had a dominant response to residues 40–60. The statistical software employed in this study may enable efficient screening of antigens for immunodominant T lymphocyte determinants when blood precursor frequencies are low following immunisation, and may therefore be of special relevance to mucosal vaccines.